The Republican journal., 1887-05-05
Letter from Boston.
Correspondence of the Journal

Letter from Boston.
Correspondence of the Journal
| Boston, Apr. 10. If, in my last let
ter, the weather received censure, in this
it should receive nothing but praise, for
We have had most delightful weather for
over two weeks - unless l must except
the 18th when We had another SNOW
storm, but it went as suddenly as it came
The air never was more balmy than it
was on Easter. 1t seemed as though
heaven and earth united to do homage
to the One whom all were especially re-
membering. Dame Nature was in her
most spiritual mood and inspired others
with the same feeling. The day was OBJ
ate services. Most of them had an elab-
crate musical programme and in addition
to the usual quartet mixed chorus of
forty to ono hundred voices The Episco-
pal and Catholic churches were as usual
the leaders in attractive exercises - I'M
less | except the Temple and Ruggles
st. Amid such an array of attractions it
was difficult to decide which church to
attend, but we at last chose the
CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY CROSS.
The vast auditorium was filled nearly an
hour before the usual time. The music
rendered by the choir and mixed voices
was Cherubini's "Grand Mass in d. and
Gounod's "Hymn to the Pope" The
short address, delivered by the parish
priest, Rev. Father Bodtish, was a path
etc synopsis of the resurrection with
practical application to every day life. 1t
would hardly be fair in so short sermon
to express ones self fully in regard to the
ability of the pastor, but, nevertheless,
must say was a trihe disappointed. l
had heard so much of the talent Of the
Cathedral pastor that l expected fine
treat, but it seemed that lowing to the
lengthy ceremonies the address must be
short"
The arch bishop was present, beside a
small army of lesser priestly lights, all CT
| whom took some part in the services.
From Catholic point of view these East
er ceremonies are deeply solemn and i'm
pressive, but to a Protestant they were
simply interesting If not a trife tire
some. To fully appreciate the religious
ly dramatic scene lit l may so call iD
zone must be a very devout Catholic"
as such an one remarked afterward. The
most impressive part of the services, to
| me, were the musical exercises as render
ed by the sanctuary choir" which was
composed of seventy men and boys. 1t
was especially impressive when the boys
sang alone. Their delicate, plaintive
voices rang out so pure and sweet that
they seemed like far away angels offering
their Easter anthems before the altar of
the living Christ.
One could not but be uplifted b, such
glorious sounds and carried far beyond
material things. But as for the pricstly
parade, solemn it may have been, i'm
pressive it might be to a "devout Catho-
lic," but to practical Protestant comes
the query sis this Christianity in its high
est expression ?" and one can but answer
"No"
The altar, of the finest, whitest marble,
built to represent miniature cathedral,
was decorated with immense bouquets of
beautiful Gala lilies that sent up an in
cense to Heaven more refreshing than
that offered up by the priests. The
Cathedral itself is worth several hours
study. All of the memorial windows
seven on each side-are masterpieces of
art and seem pregnant with life. All
represent some scene in the life of Christ
or in the lives of those most closely con-
nected with him. The building is con-
sdered the finest of the kind in the coun-
| try and all visitors to the city should
"take it in" among the other sights.
| EASTER AFTERNOON.
was devoted to the children in nearly all
| hn I'm Int ha bor
also great attractions-if possible, more
interesting thon those of the morning.
One can not avoid rejecting how Easter
has come to be a day of general observ-
ance among all religious people of what
ever denomination it surely shows that
the Kingdom of Christ is growing broad
er and stronger every year until, like a
sea of glory, it shall spread from pole to
pole. 1t will increase until all are united
under one banner, the banner of Christ ;
under one creed, the creed of humanity
love under one dome, the grand vault
of heaven, limitless and free to all Gods
people. Then shall We see the ideal be-
come the real, the material lost in the
spiritual. Let US all do what we can to
hasten it 10y Il broader love, an avoid
ance, if possible, of narrowness, of in
tolerance for liberalism can be intoler-
ant as we'll as scctarlanism-anda charity
for those who are so narrow that it seems
as though only a dim ray of divine light
ever penetrated their souls.
Last Sunday afternoon we went 10 the
EDUCATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL UNION
to listen to lecture by Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe on "Contradicting aspects of re-
ligious thoughts" The parlors were
filled long before o'clock so that it was
impossible to get even standing ROOM
Mrs. Howe said, in substance, that one
of the principal causes that led to these
aspects was the uncertainty that seemed
t. exist between the relations of the
mortal and immortal life. After the IN
terview which Moses held with God on
Mt. Sinai this uncertainty had been par
TALLY changed by giving us those rules of
affection and conduct which had in
tluenced the civilized world ever since
Religious intolerance was another great
cause leading to contradiction and con-
ideas. Scepticism and ccclesasticism
were miider forms of intolerance perhaps
not SO injurious, but having the same
| ulLluldLo result. III OTueF 10 overcome
this intolerance it was we'll to become
familiar with the thoughts and opinions
of others, and thus getting different
views of the same subject we would
arrive at more harmonious and general
conception of its meaning.
At the close of the address all were in
vited to take part in the discussion to
follow, which is the usual custom. The
remarks which followed were interesting
in tho extreme. The discussion was
opened by Catherine Beecher, (Ienry
Ward Beecher's cousin.) One would
have known she was Beecher by her
magnificent physique and strong resem-
blance to her famous relative. Among
her remarks Miss Beecher said, in sub
stance: We do not want to wait for the
SO called hereafter to enter the immortal
/ life, but we want to begin it right here.
We will enter the "New Jerusalem"
when we 'stufW these material ideas and
enter into broader conception of what
a spiritual life really is: when we get
away from everything that is mean and
petty and sinful. We can begin this life
here, if We will but empty ourselves OF
self and let in more OF God-put our
selves in harmony with the spirit of
Universal truth and love.